Tactical Pursuit and Containment

Tony Devenish: How much taxpayers' money has been wasted by police officers tuning into Tactical Pursuit and Containment car chases, when unnecessary?

The Mayor: The deployment of resources in police pursuits is an operational matter for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). The time spent by officers ‘tuning into’ such activity is not recorded.

Sale of knives (1)

Krupesh Hirani: Knife crime remains a very real and significant issue within my constituency. Do you feel extra legislation must be brought in to deal with the ease with which criminals can purchase potentially fatal weapons?

The Mayor: The Knife Retailer’s Group has been working with partners to promote responsible retail. Part of this work involved setting up online training in the safe sale of knives, advice on appropriate storage and enforcing age restrictions. The group were also responsible for lobbying the Government to address the sale of knives and were successful in getting mandatory age checks for online deliveries of knives into the Offensive Weapons Act.

Antisemitism 2

Nicholas Rogers: What specific actions has the MPS taken and what further actions will they take following the vile antisemitic scenes seen in London on Sunday 5th May?

Following these vile scenes what is the MPS doing to support victims in the Jewish community?

The Mayor: There were no antisemitic incidents reported on 5 May. On Sunday 16 May the MPS responded very robustly to reports of antisemitic abuse being shouted from a car in the St John’s Wood area. Following the deployment of a police helicopter, the car was stopped. Four men were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences and taken into custody. Extra police patrols were arranged in the St John's Wood and Golders Green areas that evening to provide reassurance to Jewish communities.
The MPS continues to work with organisations such as the Community Security Trust (CST) and the Shomrim to develop reassurance and preventative policing plans across London. This includes recognition of the need for an increased police presence and outreach in vulnerable locations, such as places of worship and transport hubs, when tensions are high and the potential for hate crime incidents may be heightened.

ASB in Central Richmond

Nicholas Rogers: The easing of lockdown last summer saw a huge increase in anti-social behaviour in Central Richmond, on the Green and on the Riverside. What lessons were learned by the MPS and what measures will put in place to ensure there is no repeat this year?

The Mayor: Following the events of last year, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) set up a working group consisting of Police, the Local authority and other key stakeholders to work towards problem solving in preparation for this summer and the easing of Covid restrictions. This group has set short, medium and long-term actions. The MPS has looked at the repositioning of CCTV, increased patrols and use of social media to keep the public informed, and has amended shifts to have a visible presence in the areas at key times. The Safer Neighbourhood teams are also working closely with Response teams, the Violent Suppression Unit and others to provide a visible response.

Hook Road 1

Nicholas Rogers: What are the plans for the local MPS office in Hook Road, Chessington?

The Mayor: Any proposed changes to the MPS estate will be published as part of the MPS Estates Strategy which is under review.

Hook Road 2

Nicholas Rogers: Given the public consultation on the future of Hook Road MPS Office, Chessington was four years ago and there has been a government funded uplift in police officer numbers who will need work space, is it not time to reassess the proposed closure?

The Mayor: The estates strategy which is currently under review will assess the operational requirements of the Metropolitan Police Service taking into account among other factors the officer uplift programme and the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hook Road 3

Nicholas Rogers: If the local MPS office in Hook Road, Chessington was to close, where will the local SNT officers sign on for duty, how will they travel to Chessington and how much time will therefore be taken from their shifts for that travel?

The Mayor: Hook Road is a Safer Neighbourhood base which was identified in the Public Access Strategy in 2017 as a building which was expected to be disposed of or the lease exited. MOPAC committed to not coming out of these types of buildings until a suitable replacement facility – generally a new Dedicated Ward Officer Hub – is operating. All Dedicated Ward Officers (DWO’s) are and will be located within a 20-minute journey time of the ward which they patrol.

Local police offices

Nicholas Rogers: Are there any plans to not renew the leases for other local police offices in Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames and Richmond upon Thames, if so, what are the locations of these offices?

The Mayor: Any proposed changes to the estate will be published as part of the estates strategy which is under review.

Antisemitism 1

Nicholas Rogers: What are you doing to prevent Antisemitism in London and what specific resources have you committed?

The Mayor: I have taken more action, and invested more funding, than any other Mayor in tackling hate, intolerance and extremism, including antisemitism. By teaming up with Google.org, my Shared Endeavour Fund invested a combined £800K in London’s first ever grant fund targeted exclusively at civil society projects to promote community cohesion and resilience and combat hate, intolerance and extremism. Projects include those run by The Anne Frank Trust UK, Union of Jewish Students, and Maccabi GB who specifically focus on antisemitism in their delivery.
Both MOPAC and the MPS work with organisations such as the Community Security Trust (CST) and the Shomrim to develop reassurance and preventative policing plans across London. In addition, my Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programme has worked with the CST to provide free safety and security advice to London places of worship, and has convened the first ever London Practitioners Conference on Right-Wing Extremism to raise awareness, share good practice and create a platform for peer-to-peer learning.
Through my civic innovation challenge, I have funded the creation and piloting of the iREPORTit app, an anonymous public referral tool for online terrorist content, including that which may call for violence against Jews.
Finally, I also invested over £2.5M over the last Mayoralty in the provision of specialist support for those who fall victim to hate crime, including almost £120K on directly supporting the monitoring of antisemitism and supporting Jewish victims.

E-scooters and the dangers they present, Brent and Harrow Constituency

Krupesh Hirani: How many people have been stopped by the police for riding on the pavement or road over the 2020/2021 period and can you provide all recorded incident data for Brent and Harrow?

The Mayor: There are currently no recorded E-scooter related Traffic Offence Records for Brent or Harrow.
The below is a table from the Metropolitan Police Data Office regarding e-scooter Traffic Offences for all boroughs. Please note that the E-Scooter Feature and Property Codes only came into use as of 7 July 2020 and therefore it should be noted that this is likely an undercount of offences:
Offence
Total
Contravening cycle lane
44
Drive without due care and attention
4
Driving elsewhere than on roads
3
Driving on footway - mechanically propelled vehicle
14
Using prohibited vehicle on restricted road
2

London Drugs Commission

Caroline Pidgeon: In your manifesto you have committed to setting up a London Drugs Commission to review, investigate and report on drug laws, particularly around cannabis. When will the commission be launched, how will you choose membership of the commission and when do you expect it to report on its findings?

The Mayor: In line with my manifesto, I am committed to establishing a London Drug Commission. I hope that the work of the Commission will provoke an overdue national debate on this important issue.
I have asked my officials to commence work and the Commission is currently being planned and developed. This proposal is at an early stage and I will update the Assembly further in due course.

League tables

Unmesh Desai: Do you support the Government’s plan to re-introduce league tables for police forces in England and Wales?

The Mayor: The Home Office has developed a framework of National Crime and Policing Measures, which set out the Government’s key national priorities. The Policing Minister wrote to all Police and Crime Commissioners on 14 March outlining what these were and how they would be used. In his letter the Minister gave no indication of an intention to re-introduce league tables for police forces in England and Wales. I therefore have no reason to believe that the Government is intending to do this.

Action Plan update

Unmesh Desai: Please provide an update on what progress has been made on implementing the actions within your Action Plan to improve trust and accountability within the Met.

The Mayor: To ensure transparency in the delivery of my Action Plan I committed to MOPAC publishing quarterly updates on its website, listing all the actions and what progress has been made towards implementing them.
Updates are available at the following links:
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mayors_action_plan_summary_update_march_2021.pdf
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mayors_action_plan_detailed_update_march_2021.pdf

Harris review update

Unmesh Desai: When do you expect the update of the Harris Review to be commissioned and completed by?

The Mayor: It is my ambition for the Review to start shortly and to report as swiftly as possible.

Domestic Abuse offences with children present

Unmesh Desai: How many children were recorded as present when Domestic Abuse offence was committed in each of the following years: 2019 and 2020? Cases where a Witness, Victim or Informant who is aged 15 or less may be used as a proxy indicator for this.

The Mayor: The below table shows the number of victims, informants or witnesses, recorded as being aged 1-15 years, that were present during a recorded domestic abuse offence.
Where an age of ‘0’ was recorded, these records have been excluded. Often these may be where the age is not recorded or known, so could lead to a significant over-count of victims, informants or witnesses.
Calendar year
2019
2020
Grand Total
5,816
6,276

Refreshed VAWG strategy

Unmesh Desai: When are you expecting to publish your refreshed VAWG strategy by?

The Mayor: The delivery of the refreshed VAWG Strategy will be instrumental in ensuring that London is a safe place for women and girls. My intention is to move as quickly as possible – while ensuring that we take the time to properly consult with women and girls, and the organisations with a role to play in tackling VAWG. Planning is already underway on the consultation and drafting, and I hope to be able to confirm timescales in due course.

Domestic abuse perpetrator programme funding

Unmesh Desai: What are the perpetrator programmes you will be funding over the next 3 years and how much will you be investing in these?

The Mayor: During my mayoralty I have invested over £12m in piloting, developing and sustaining innovative programmes targeted at tackling perpetrators of both domestic abuse and stalking.
In 2020-21 I am funding the pan-London Stalking Threat Assessment Centre (S-TAC) and expanding the successful Drive programme in London, an investment of £672k and £544k respectively. I am also extending and/or continuing the Domestic Abuse Early Intervention and Accommodation and MOPAC’s GPS domestic abuse perpetrator tagging pilots in 2021-22.
Decisions regarding future funding in this area will be informed by the new Police and Crime Plan (PCP) and taken as part of the wider budget setting process later in this financial year.

Monitoring Cuckooing offences

Unmesh Desai: How does the Met currently monitor cuckooing across London?

The Mayor: The monitoring of cuckooing across London includes the MPS identifying vulnerable persons or venues, conducting regular visits, partnership working with other agencies, and obtaining a closure order when antisocial behaviour is associated with a premises.
The reporting of cuckooing has been streamlined by the addition of a flag to Pre-Assessment Checks (PACs) which are created when the police deal with vulnerable people, and a cuckooing flag can also be added on the Crime Report Information System (CRIS).

Police National Computer data loss

Unmesh Desai: Are you now able to advise how many Met Police officers have been or were assigned to dealing with the Home Office’s reported loss of 400,000 records from the Police National Computer?

The Mayor: No MPS officers have been or were assigned to this matter. There have been fewer than ten members of police staff deployed on an occasional basis throughout the course of the MPS response to the loss of records from the Police National Computer.

Victims’ Care Hub

Caroline Pidgeon: In your manifesto you said you would “consider the creation of a Victim Care Hub in order to transform the way victims receive support throughout their journey through the criminal justice system.” Are you now committed to delivering such a Hub and if so when will it be set up?

The Mayor: I am committed to a thorough exploration of how different models of support for victims of crime could interface with the criminal justice system and the network of specialist support services that exists across London.
This work is complex and needs to be undertaken in close collaboration with the MPS and partners to be most effective. Exploratory work will take place this financial year and should a new model be determined to be the best option for the future, then comprehensive transition and transformation plans will be developed accordingly. The London Assembly will be briefed on those plans at the appropriate time.

Crimes Committed on E-Scooters Across London (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Amidst worrying reports of a significant number of crimes being committed on e-scooters across London in recent months, please provide data on the number of crimes that have been committed on e-scooters over the last two years broken down by (i) month, and (ii) borough.

The Mayor: Data recorded between 1st July 2020 and 30th April 2021 from the Met Police Data office shows 574 offences where the suspect was riding an E-Scooter at the time of offence.
Please see attached spreadsheet which highlights the breakdown across the 32 boroughs.
Incidents involving E-scooters are currently underreported, however, work continues by the Met Roads Traffic Policing Command, Basic Command Units, and other Met Resources to address all offences committed by E-scooter riders and to ensure they are recorded accurately.

The Mayor: 1372_Crimes Committed on E-Scooters Across London.xlsx

Metropolitan Police Service involvement in Serenity Integrated Mentoring (3)

Caroline Russell: How many criminal sanctions have Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) brought through their contact with ‘high intensity users’ of Section 136 of the Mental Health Act via Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM) network?

The Mayor: The Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM) model is not used to criminalise mental illness, it is used to prevent those with mental illnesses entering the criminal justice system. The model is aimed at providing support across agencies to reduce incidents of crisis and mental disorder as well as behaviours that result in ASB or crime. Criminal justice outcomes have rarely been resorted to but remain within the toolkit for individuals who continue to commit offences where all other interventions have been exhausted.
Criminal justice interventions for service users on the SIM programme have not been routinely captured and cannot be reported on.

Metropolitan Police Service involvement in Serenity Integrated Mentoring (2)

Caroline Russell: How many Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers are currently actively involved in Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM) plans for Londoners with mental health issues and what medical training have they undertaken?

The Mayor: There are currently 21 police officers actively involved in Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM) for Londoners.
SIM officers are not clinicians and do not provide any medical treatment. Their role is to support service users and medical professionals in managing behaviours. Officers complete a three-day SIM course which provides an awareness of mental ill-health and personality disorders, they do not receive or require medical training.

Monitoring misogyny as a hate crime

Caroline Russell: On 17 March 2021 you announced that misogyny will now be recorded as a hate crime. Has the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) already begun recording incidents of misogyny when responding to crimes against women and could you share the latest available data?

The Mayor: I was very pleased to pass on the news on 17 March of the announcement in Parliament that police forces will record and identify crimes where the victim perceives it to have been motivated by a hostility based on their sex. This is a huge victory for everyone involved in the cross-party campaign, which I was happy to support.
The MPS now awaits guidance from the Home Office and College of Policing as to how this identification and recording will be undertaken. In the meantime, the MPS is actively monitoring those trials undertaken by a small number of forces and they are undertaking an analysis of recorded Violence Against Women and Girls reports as a guide to their operational focus once the guidance is in place.

Metropolitan Police Service involvement in Serenity Integrated Mentoring (4)

Caroline Russell: What evaluation of the outcome for patients, rather than reducing a financial cost to support services, has the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) carried out to ensure that a public health approach is at the heart of the Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM) scheme?

The Mayor: As a preventative model SIM is wedded to a public health approach. The implementation of SIM was driven through a multi-agency Strategic Delivery Group, which identified the following areas as indicators for the evaluation; police deployments, police calls, LAS despatched, LAS calls, A&E attendances, s.136 detentions and MH bed days. Evaluation conducted by the Academic Health Science Network for South London, the Health Innovation Network, demonstrated that once service users are engaged in SIM there is an overall reduction across all metrics as well as a reduction in costs. The evaluation can be accessed through the Health Innovation Network website:
https://healthinnovationnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SIM-Londo...

Violence Suppression Units and Violent Crime Taskforce officer numbers

Unmesh Desai: Please advise how many officers are currently based in the Violence Suppression units and Violent Crime Taskforce respectively. If possible, please also advise where these officers are located, by BCU, and by ward if possible.

The Mayor: The table below shows the number of officers in Violence Suppression Units across each Basic Command Unit (BCU). Data is not available at a ward level.
Violence Suppression Units by BCU
Police Officer (FTE)
AS - Central South Command Unit
33
AW - Central West Command Unit
41
CE - Central East Command Unit
29
CN - Central North Command Unit
57
EA - East Area Command Unit
43
NA - North Area Command Unit
49
NE - North East Command Unit
43
NW - North West Command Unit
29
SE - South East Command Unit
47
SN - South Area Command Unit
15
SW - South West Command Unit
35
WA - West Area Command Unit
38
Total
459

Police numbers

Leonie Cooper: Can the Mayor update me on the number of police officers currently assigned in Wandsworth?

The Mayor: Police officers are deployed on a Basic Command Unit (BCU) basis. They work across boroughs within the BCU. It is therefore not possible to provide a breakdown of officers by borough.
Wandsworth is part of the South West BCU along with Merton, Richmond and Kingston. You can access a map of the BCUs here: https://maps.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/foi-media/metropolitan-police/disclosure_2019/may_2019/information-rights-unit---mps-basic-command-units
The number of FTE officers within each BCU is published in the MPS monthly workforce report (www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/workforce-data-report/).
South West BCU had 1,556.26 FTE officers as of 31 March 2021.

Police numbers

Leonie Cooper: Can the Mayor update me on the number of police officers currently assigned in Merton?

The Mayor: Police officers are deployed on a Basic Command Unit (BCU) basis. They work across boroughs within the BCU. It is therefore not possible to provide a breakdown of officers by borough.
Merton is part of the South West BCU along with Wandsworth, Richmond and Kingston. You can access a map of the BCUs here: https://maps.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/foi-media/metropolitan-police/disclosure_2019/may_2019/information-rights-unit---mps-basic-command-units
The number of FTE officers within each BCU is published in the MPS monthly workforce report (www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/workforce-data-report/).
South West BCU had 1,556.26 FTE officers as of 31 March 2021.

Police numbers

Leonie Cooper: Can the Mayor update me on the situation with regard to School Liaison Officers in Merton and Wandsworth and how many posts are vacant in 2021?

The Mayor: Schools and youth officer numbers are available within the Metropolitan Police Service monthly workforce report (www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/workforce-data-report/).
South West Basic Command Unit, which includes Merton and Wandsworth, had 49.23 FTE schools and youth officers as of 31 March 2021

Victim care hub

Unmesh Desai: When will you make a decision on whether to create a victims’ care hub and which agency would hold principal responsibility for operating such a hub?

The Mayor: I am committed to a thorough exploration of how different models of support for victims of crime could interface with the criminal justice system and the network of specialist support services that exists across London.
This work is complex and needs to be undertaken in close collaboration with the MPS and partners to be most effective. Exploratory work will take place this financial year and should a new model be determined to be the best option for the future, then comprehensive transition and transformation plans will be developed accordingly. The London Assembly will be briefed on those plans at the appropriate time.

Solace Women’s Aid Pledge

Tony Devenish: Erin Mansell from Solace Women’s Aid recently contact me to sign their pledge to end Violence Against Women and Girls. I have signed the pledge. Have you signed the pledge, and if not, will you commit to doing so?

The Mayor: Solace published my response to their pledge highlighting my commitment to and investment in supporting victims and survivors of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), which has been a priority of mine since becoming Mayor. I have already invested an unprecedented £60.7m in tackling VAWG and it remains a key priority for my second term.
The delivery of my refreshed VAWG Strategy will be instrumental in ensuring that London is a safe place for women and girls and planning is already underway on its development.

Safer Neighbourhood Board Funding

Caroline Pidgeon: I understand that MOPAC has frozen borough funding bids for Safer Neighbourhood Boards due to the pandemic. Can you confirm when this funding will open up again?

The Mayor: The 2021/2 funding round will open in June.

Shop worker assaults

Unmesh Desai: If possible, please advise the number of reported incidents of a) verbal abuse b) violence with injury c) violence without injury d) hate crimes in a retail setting where the victim has been a member of staff in each of the past 3 years.

The Mayor: Please see the available information as per the attached spreadsheet.
It should be noted that victim occupation is not a mandatory field, so this data set is likely to be an undercount where no occupation has been listed. This should be taken into consideration before drawing any conclusions from the information provided.

The Mayor: 1754_Shop worker assaults.xlsx

Specialist Off-Road Motorbikes and Police Riders (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Please confirm how many specialist off-road motorbikes the Met has, broken down by BCU, as well as the number of trained police riders for these motorbikes?

The Mayor: The MPS have two off-road motorcycles, both of which are on South Area Command Unit. There are two officers trained to ride them.

Lifting of restrictions

Susan Hall: With restrictions set to be further lifted on 21st June, what are you and the MPS doing to ensure that there is no coinciding increase in crime, in particular violence?

The Mayor: As part of the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) easing of restriction policing plan, the Violent Crime Taskforce have coordinated various operations to tackle and suppress violence, ensuring community trust and confidence is maintained across London. Tactics include high visibility patrols in high crime areas and local engagement with partners and communities. Specialist officers will be focussing on issues surrounding violence against women and girls, high harm offenders and robbery. The MPS will also have local policing plans in place to address and support the return of the night time economy.
In addition, my Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) are supporting young people who are vulnerable to exploitation and violence. The VRU is investing £1 million into a new After-School Provision Fund, specifically for young people at risk of violence. I also recently announced VRU funding of £900,000 to expand the MPS’s DIVERT crime prevention programme, a successful police custody programme which helps support young adults away from violence.

Forced marriage

Susan Hall: For the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 how many instances of forced marriage have been detected by the Met and how many changes have there been?

The Mayor: Please see the requested information below, along with guidance notes.
FY
Offences
Detections
Charges
2018/19
85
3
3
2019/20
181
10
10
2020/21
49
4
4
Grand Total
315
17
17
Notes

Count of offences and detections: Any crime report flagged with flag for Forced Marriage

Extra rescue and response funding

Unmesh Desai: What will the extra £1.8million you are spending on the rescue and response programme go towards funding?

The Mayor: MOPAC recognises London’s leading role in tackling County Lines and since 2018 has been funding the Rescue and Response service, a comprehensive programme of work to better understand target and respond to county lines and provide crucial ongoing support for vulnerable and exploited youngLondoners.
Rescue and Response is currently being funded until March 2022, providing tailored support to vulnerable young Londoners referred into the project through three specialist providers. St Giles Trust provide one to one support to young men and operate an outreach ‘rescue’ team, Abianda provide one to one support to girls and young women and Safer London provide one to one support to young people through the LGE project. The project will also publish a strategic assessment, working with the National County Line Coordination Centre to pull out themes and trends of County Lines activity.

Coercive and controlling behaviour

Susan Hall: For the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 how many instances of coercive and controlling behaviour have been reported to the MPS?

The Mayor: Please see the requested information below. This is a count of offences with the Home Office crime classification of ‘Engage in controlling/coercive behaviour in an intimate/family relationship’ recorded by the MPS between April 2018 and March 2021.
2018/19
2019/20
2020/21
932
1,403
2,094

Revenge Porn Offences

Susan Hall: For the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 how many offences of revenge porn have been reported to the MPS?

The Mayor: Please the requested information in the below table. This is a count of offences with the Home Office classification code of - 008/71- Disclose private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress.
Financial Year
Total
2018/19
574
2019/20
676
2020/21
857

FGM

Susan Hall: For the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 how many instances of FGM have been detected by the Met and how many changes have there been?

The Mayor: Please see the requested information below, along with guidance notes.
FY
Offences
Detections
Charges
2018/19
24
3
2
2019/20
31
0
0
2020/21
15
0
0
Grand Total
70
3
2
Notes:

Count of offences and detections for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Any crime report flagged with branch flag for Female Genital Mutilation
OR
Crime report with any of the following Home Office classifications attached:
008/52 - Female Genital Mutilation
008/68 - Fail to protect girl from risk of genital mutilation.
068/04 - Breach a Female Genital Mutilation protection order.

Neighbourhood watch schemes

Unmesh Desai: How many operational neighbourhood watch schemes were there in London in each of the last 4 years?

The Mayor: Neither MOPAC nor the MPS hold this information.

Police overtime

Susan Hall: How much was spent on police overtime by the MPS in the 2020/2021 financial year?

The Mayor: For 2020/21 the provisional police officer overtime was £143.6m, police staff overtime £31.1m and Police Community Support Officer overtime £0.2m.

Police attacks

Shaun Bailey: For the financial year 2020/21 please provide the number of police officers who have been attacked/assaulted, injured as a result of an attack or seriously injured. Please also provide the same breakdown that is in MQ 2020/2712

The Mayor: Injury Degree
FY 2020/21 Volume
FY 2020/21 %
No Injury
4602
55%
Minor
3091
37%
Moderate
335
4%
Threats Only
211
3%
Serious
111
1%
Fatal
1
0%
Grand Total
8351

Serving Metropolitan Police Service officers with far right links

Caroline Russell: Will you commit to reviewing Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) recruitment policies so no one with links to any far-right or proscribed terrorist organisations could be considered for employment?

The Mayor: All police recruits are required to undergo rigorous vetting in accordance with the Vetting Code of Practice and Approved Professional Practice, developed and maintained by the College of Policing. These are regularly reviewed and updated by the College.
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) will not accept applications from anyone who is, or has been, a member of groups and/or organisations including, but not limited to, the British National Party (BNP), National Front, Combat 18 or similar. All applicants are questioned on their affiliation to such groups.

ANPR data sharing between Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police Service for an expanded ULEZ (1)

Caroline Russell: The Transport for London (TfL) Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) F7526 A3, completed in September 2020 states: “The completion of a new DPIA by the (Metropolitan Police Service) MPS will be required on the subject of their extended access to surveillance cameras on London’s road network and any privacy implications associated with this.” Has a new DPIA been completed by the MPS?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is currently drafting a new Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). The new DPIA, along with a new Mayoral Delegation and Direction, will be needed before any data from the new ULEZ Expansion camera network is shared with the MPS.

HMICFRS’s Investigation into the Policing of the Sarah Everard Vigil on Saturday 13 March 2021 (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: HMICFRS’s report suggests a more conciliatory approach from the Met could have helped calm tensions after the vigil. Do you agree that the approach, in terms of communications, from the Met after the event contributed to a worsening of the situation? I think this is especially important given the specific circumstance of the Sarah Everard case and the need to try and build more confidence in the force from women in the capital.

The Mayor: I accept the HMICFRS report, but it is clear that trust and confidence of women and girls in the police and criminal justice system is far from adequate. I am committed to working with the Commissioner to take whatever action is needed to address that.

HMICRFS’s Investigation into the Policing of the Sarah Everard Vigil on Saturday 13 March 2021 (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Although HMICFRS’s report into the policing of the vigil largely supports the approach taken by the Met, it is critical of some of the communications around decisions made by the force, particularly on social media. The report states – “In this social media age, police forces need to find ways to make their perspective count early. We heard the Metropolitan Police’s response to events described as ‘tone deaf’; we acknowledge that a more conciliatory response might have served the force’s interests better.” How are you working with the Met to ensure that messaging, particularly on social media is both sensitive to public feeling and does not undermine confidence in our police service?

The Mayor: Effective and measured communication with the public is vital to the confidence of Londoners in their police service, and I recognise the work the Metropolitan Police Service have done to improve the way they communicate about their work. However, there is more to be done across the board to improve Londoners’ confidence in the police, and I will continue to work with the Commissioner and with communities to achieve that goal.

Specialist Off-Road Motorbikes and Police Riders (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Please confirm the costs to the Met for procuring off-road motorbikes, and the costs and timescales for training up police riders for these motorbikes.

The Mayor: The unit cost of vehicles is commercially sensitive and not suitable for publication.
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) does not currently offer Off-Road Motorcycle Training. Historically, the three-day off-road motorcycle training course cost c. £1990 per rider.

Concerns Over a Return to Crime Targets (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: In its 2016 report into the way in which the Met dealt with child abuse and exploitation cases Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) specifically criticised crime targets, sighting them as part of the issue given resources were being directed into chasing priority targets. If such targets are once again introduced for the Met, how will you work with the force’s senior leadership to ensure we do not see a diversion away from important investigations and work on important issues such as child abuse?

The Mayor: The Policing Minister wrote to all Police and Crime Commissioners on 14 March outlining that Home Office has developed a framework of National Crime and Policing Measures. In that letter the Minister reaffirmed the role of police and crime commissioners in setting local priorities for their areas. We do not believe the government's new framework is intended to set force level targets.
My Office for Policing and Crime performs an important oversight function and looks at a wide range of data. That will continue to be the case going forward.

Concerns Over a Return to Crime Targets (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: The performance of the Met should be measured against the delivery of a publicly available, well-rounded plan covering all elements of policing, not simply raw crime data. Do you share my concerns at the Home Office’s moves towards reintroducing crime targets for forces including the Met and what are you doing to challenge the Government on this approach?

The Mayor: The Home Office has developed a framework of National Crime and Policing Measures, which set out the Government’s key national priorities. The Policing Minister wrote to all Police and Crime Commissioners on 14 March outlining what these were and how they would be used. In his letter the Minister reaffirmed the role of police and crime commissioners in setting local priorities for their areas. I therefore have no reason to believe that the Government is intending to set crime targets for forces.

Review of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Will you introduce a permanent Women’s Board made up of survivors and key stakeholder groups to directly advise and hold you to account on your refreshed VAWG Strategy?

The Mayor: Tackling VAWG remains one of my key priorities. We already have a board that focuses on this area – not convinced of the need for an additional board. The development of the next VAWG Strategy will be instrumental in ensuring that London is a safe place for women and girls.
The development and delivery of the refreshed strategy will be overseen by the VAWG Board, which comprises partners from statutory and voluntary sector organisations including members of the VCS VAWG Reference Group. There are also regular meetings with borough VAWG Coordinators, who understand the local community needs. The views of survivors will be sought through the work of my Victims’ Commissioner, who regularly engages with victims' groups.

Review of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: You have committed to a refresh of the VAWG Strategy for London so that it takes a public health focussed approach. When will this begin and how will you be consulting and working with key stakeholders to ensure they have input in this process?

The Mayor: The delivery of the refreshed VAWG Strategy will be instrumental in ensuring that London is a safe place for women and girls. My intention is to move as quickly as possible – while ensuring that we take the time to properly consult. Planning is already underway, and I hope to be able to confirm timescales in due course.
The development of the refreshed strategy will be overseen by the VAWG Board, which comprises partners from statutory and voluntary sector organisations including members of the VCS VAWG Reference Group. We will also utilise other networks, such as our meetings with local authority VAWG Coordinators, who understand the local community needs. The views of survivors will be sought through the work of my Victims’ Commissioner, who regularly engages with victims' groups. This will be supplemented with wider engagement with VAWG VCS and statutory partners throughout, ensuring it’s a consultative and collaborative process.

Stop and Search Use by the Met

Caroline Pidgeon: In an interview in September 2015 you said of stop and search “if I’m Mayor I’ll do all in my power to further cut its use. Overuse of stop and search can have a dramatic effect on communities. It undermines public confidence in our police if Londoners are being stopped and searched for no good reason.” Despite this we have seen a dramatic increase in the use of stop and search since you became Mayor of London. Do you commit to using your second term to cut the use of stop and search in our city and end the use of suspicionless stop and search altogether?

The Mayor: I am committed to ensuring the use of stop and search does not erode trust and confidence. Used legally, in a proportionate way, and based on intelligence, it is an important power for the police to keep our streets safe. Done poorly, it can lead to a breakdown in relations, making the city less safe, not more. Since the sharp rise seen in May 2020 stop and searches haven’t surpassed 27,000 each month with ongoing decreases since February this year.
The Met have worked hard to improve their use of stop and search through enhanced training which has included lived experience sessions, Quality of the Encounter and Unconscious Bias training for new and existing officers.
However, I am not complacent and am determined to improve oversight of stop and search through implementing the recommendations in my Action Plan to ensure community monitoring structures better represent London’s diverse communities and the police continue to be appropriately held to account.

Metropolitan Police Service officer brutality against Black teenagers

Caroline Russell: There have been several recent high-profile cases of Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers using excessive force and violence against Black teenagers in London. In one particularly concerning case, force was used against a vulnerable young teenager with learning disabilities, and the IOPC regional director Sal Naseem specifically criticised the officer for: “Immediately resorting to use of force without considering other de-escalation tactics.” Will you insist that more de-escalation training, including not using restraints against vulnerable Londoners, is prioritised for all frontline MPS officers?

The Mayor: On 13 November 2020 I published an action plan in direct response to widespread concerns about the disproportionate use of police powers - detailed updates are available at the following links.
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mayors_action_plan_summary_update_march_2021.pdf
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mayors_action_plan_detailed_update_march_2021.pdf
In addition, in order, amongst other things, to provide enhanced coverage of the critical areas of de-escalation and procedural justice the foundation safety training for all new Metropolitan Police officers has been increased from five to eight days. Furthermore, and in the same vein, from October, the mandated annual safety training - undertaken by all police officers up to and including the rank of Superintendent - will also be increased from two to three days. Further inputs on dealing with those suffering from acute behavioural disturbance and other forms of mental illnesses, and learning disabilities, have also been added to this training A digital safety training package that highlights the use of tactical communication, and how it links with stress and de-escalation within a specific search scenario, is also now a pre-requisite for those attending safety training sessions.
The Metropolitan Police Service has also established a Learning & Development ‘Community Reference Group’ to ensure that all of London’s communities are more closely involved in the design of new training.

Metropolitan Police Service involvement in Serenity Integrated Mentoring (1)

Caroline Russell: Do you believe it is appropriate for Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers to be involved in emergency care response via the Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM) programme for people who are ‘high intensity users’ of Section 136 of the Mental Health Act and public services?

The Mayor: I believe it is important and appropriate for MPS officers to be involved in the Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM) programme as it is estimated that 40% of policing demand is created by issues linked to mental disorder. A high proportion of that demand relates to high intensity users who cause a disproportionate strain on public services.
Involvement in the SIM enables the police to support people struggling with complex and chaotic behaviour to agree behavioural rules and consequences. It also supports the creation of a response plan to inform other officers on the best course of action to taken when encountering SIM users in crisis. This model helps to reduce the use of s.136, calls to the police and crime and ASB committed by the SIM cohort.